Best (and worst) beers you've ever had

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

Belching Beaver was at a beer fest up here this Summer. I didn't get a chance to try any of their stuff, but I hear that they have a pretty legit peanut butter porter.

I see those Paradox bottles all the time, yet I pass over them.

Given the price tag, I *would not* recommend that you grab one just for S&Gs. Sounds like you're in CO, so you're never going to run out of other things to try instead.

Yeah, I'm in Fort Collins. Kind of spoiled.

Crooked Stave and Trinity have been my preferred sour beer makers that I've experienced.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Belching Beaver was at a beer fest up here this Summer. I didn't get a chance to try any of their stuff, but I hear that they have a pretty legit peanut butter porter.

I see those Paradox bottles all the time, yet I pass over them.

Given the price tag, I *would not* recommend that you grab one just for S&Gs. Sounds like you're in CO, so you're never going to run out of other things to try instead.

Yeah, I'm in Fort Collins. Kind of spoiled.

Crooked Stave and Trinity have been my preferred sour beer makers that I've experienced.

Fort Collins... very nice. I hope to make it to Odell's tasting room some day, I hear it's a lot of fun.

I've acquired a few Staves, looking forward to a tasting soon.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

Belching Beaver was at a beer fest up here this Summer. I didn't get a chance to try any of their stuff, but I hear that they have a pretty legit peanut butter porter.

I see those Paradox bottles all the time, yet I pass over them.

Given the price tag, I *would not* recommend that you grab one just for S&Gs. Sounds like you're in CO, so you're never going to run out of other things to try instead.

Yeah, I'm in Fort Collins. Kind of spoiled.

Crooked Stave and Trinity have been my preferred sour beer makers that I've experienced.

Fort Collins... very nice. I hope to make it to Odell's tasting room some day, I hear it's a lot of fun.

I've acquired a few Staves, looking forward to a tasting soon.

Odell is the best brewery in town. We try to hit their taproom regularly, they're about 5 miles from our house. I almost exclusively just drink their IPA.

They're constantly rotating the taps and always have something interesting--small batch stuff--on tap. They had a peach IPA on recently that was phenomenal.

Meanwhile New Belgium's tap wall has been the same since June.

There's a ton of breweries in this little town. Sometimes it's hard to decide which one to go to...so we usually wind up hitting more than one in a day.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

For you Russian imperial stout lovers, get yourself some Sierra Nevada Narwhal.

Had it last year, picked up another 4 pack last week.

Still excellent.

[AUDub 11,184]

For you Russian imperial stout lovers, get yourself some Sierra Nevada Narwhal.

Had it last year, picked up another 4 pack last week.

Still excellent.

On the lookout for it.

No game today. Watching VT beat the rambling wreck with an Ommegang Abbey Ale. The is first beer I've had on which my wife commented positively.

[McLoofus 35,182]

For you Russian imperial stout lovers, get yourself some Sierra Nevada Narwhal.

Had it last year, picked up another 4 pack last week.

Still excellent.

On the lookout for it.

No game today. Watching VT beat the rambling wreck with an Ommegang Abbey Ale. The is first beer I've had on which my wife commented positively.

Ladies love the Belgians (and "Belgian styles"). Big fan of just about everything Ommegang does.

Totally agreed about Narwhal. I really don't understand how this beer continues to fly under the radar. I've been building a vertical since the first year they released it, will probably pop them at the 5 year mark. Fantastic stuff.

Had a Lagunitas IPA Saturday for the first time in awhile. Still stands out in the crowd.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

Had a Crooked Stave St. Bretta last night. So sour.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

Dunno if you guys do pumpkin beer, but I like to try a single of everyone I can find. Most of them are pretty bad.

However, I'm having an Elysian Night Owl currently. Pretty darn good for a pumpkin beer.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Dunno if you guys do pumpkin beer, but I like to try a single of everyone I can find. Most of them are pretty bad.

However, I'm having an Elysian Night Owl currently. Pretty darn good for a pumpkin beer.

No Elysian distro in the SE, but Terrapin did an Imperial Pumpkin Pie Porter which was good, if not worthy of the extreme-but-short-lived hype. Haven't tried any others this year, although I do want to try the Timmermans Pumpkin Lambicus.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

Dunno if you guys do pumpkin beer, but I like to try a single of everyone I can find. Most of them are pretty bad.

However, I'm having an Elysian Night Owl currently. Pretty darn good for a pumpkin beer.

No Elysian distro in the SE, but Terrapin did an Imperial Pumpkin Pie Porter which was good, if not worthy of the extreme-but-short-lived hype. Haven't tried any others this year, although I do want to try the Timmermans Pumpkin Lambicus.

Yeah the White Chocolate Moo-hoo and Cinnamon Roll'd Wake-n-Bake were crazy hyped. The W-n-B lived up to it...I guess.

Look for Schlafly's pumpkin beer. It's my favorite.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

Went to Odell today and had their seasonal release, about as fresh as it can get. Mountain Standard black double IPA. It's a monster. Clocks in at 9.5%. I'm not normally a black IPA fan, but this one was fantastic.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Went to Odell today and had their seasonal release, about as fresh as it can get. Mountain Standard black double IPA. It's a monster. Clocks in at 9.5%. I'm not normally a black IPA fan, but this one was fantastic.

I've warmed up to the style as brewers have gotten better at it. The early iterations came off to me as stoner "duuuuude, what about a black IPA" whackness, but I've had some great examples since. FSW's Wookie Jack is incredible. The Founders version just dropped here, planning to grab some on my next beer run.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

WJ is the only other one I had that I have enjoyed.

They all seem to be like a thin, bitter stout with notes of black licorice.

[WarEagle'04 4]

If you see this, get it. Awesome stout from stone.

Second on this one. Had a growler fill and it is definitely one of the better stouts I've had in a while. Nice, clean flavors.

[AUFAN78 3,926]

St. Bernardus Abt 12 night. Ahhh, sip slowly.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

Couple nice finds today:

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

Completely appropriate glassware. Odell 25th anniversary beer in a 25th anniversary teku glass.

[McLoofus 35,182]

^Very cool. How was it?^

Had a Dark Lord '14 Saturday night. It was terrible. Seriously. I was shocked. Tried numerous beers- no other whales, really, mainly a bunch of Short's stuff- and it was easily the worst. Maybe it will get better after a couple years, but I still can't imagine it will be a great beer.

Getting back to our BIPA conversation, the Short's Goodnight Bodacious DBIPA... nah, that's weird, I'm just going to type out double black IPA... was spectacular. Drinks like a really rich coffee stout, just subbing hop bitterness for that of coffee. Really nice beer.

Had a shot at picking up that Grassroots Arctic Saison when I was in VT in the spring, but I was buying up so much Alchemist, Lawson's, Maine and Fiddlehead stuff that I didn't have room in my suitcase for much more (we found Fiddlehead's Second Fiddle better than Heady, for the record). Let us know how you like it.

[homersapien 11,453]

Gee I love any really good beer, and I have had a few "on-site" tastings in Germany and Belgium. We are going through a welcomed beer renaissance in this country with all the micro-brews springing up everywhere.

It's impossible to make a choice among all of the microbrews available but if you ask me what my favorite mass-merchandised beer is, I would say "Pilsner Urquell".

Having said that, I do enjoy IPA-type ales and generally order those in a bar.

[AUFAN78 3,926]

You are absolutely correct. The micro-brews are quickly catching up with if not surpassing, in some cases, the great little breweries in Germany and Belgium. Not that I have a problem sitting a German Pub eating schnitzel with potatoes and a good beer.

Having one of my favorite IPA's as we speak. SweetWater IPA. Yum.

[McLoofus 35,182]

Gee I love any really good beer, and I have had a few "on-site" tastings in Germany and Belgium. We are going through a welcomed beer renaissance in this country with all the micro-brews springing up everywhere.

It's impossible to make a choice among all of the microbrews available but if you as me what my favorite mass-merchandized beer is, I would say "Pilsner Urquell".

Having said that, I do enjoy IPA-type ales and generally order those in a bar.

Good pilsners and other lagers don't get enough love in this country. A lot more focus on making the biggest, loudest ales imaginable. But hey, this is America. We're more into muscle cars and full-sized pickups than we are refined touring sedans

Victory's Prima Pils is a beaut, if you haven't tried it.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

The 180 Shilling was oaky and malty. A bit on the boozy side, but good nonetheless.

As far as pilsners go, I like Czech style. North Coast's Scrimshaw and Oskar Blues' Mama's Lil Yella Pils are decent. Lagunitas has one too that's not too bad.

And yes, the Prima Pils is probably one of the best rated American style pils. Got more hoppy character to it than the Czech styles above.

[AUDub 11,184]

Sierra Nevada Torpedo. I'm just now digging in, but it is very hoppy, fruity, and tasty beer. It's absolutely beautiful in my 16oz pub glass.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

I like Torpedo also. Really good IPA for a good price.

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

Enjoying a Pliny the Elder now while my wife has a Consecration.

GABF week in Colorado is stupendous.